Victim fights back, thwarts Sherman robbery

SHERMAN, Texas (KXII) - Just before 6 am Tuesday, Danny Harvey got out of his truck and started walking towards his paint and body shop like any other morning.

But his routine was swiftly interrupted the moment another person came around a truck and headed straight at him.

“Never had anything like this happen,” said Harvey. “I come in in the morning every day.”

Harvey said the suspect attacked him with pepper spray, attempting to rob him of his briefcase.

“I mean that mace was terrible stuff, and it just shocked me there,” said Harvey.

In a moment of fight or flight, Harvey chose to fight.

“I just went into adrenaline and took the best of him,” said Harvey.

Instead of handing the briefcase over, Harvey used it to hit the suspect.

“I was holding it up like this, and when he started trying to reach it, that’s when I started beating him with it,” said Harvey. “He never said a word. Never peeped a sound when I was hitting him.”

The impact left dents and mace residue on the briefcase.

After the suspect backed off, Harvey opened the briefcase.

“I knew he was going to come back, so that’s when I got my gun out and fired a shot, and then he took off running,” said Harvey.

Other than being burned from the mace, Harvey said he’s walking away injury free.

“I’m just great,” said Harvey. “Just sore from using all my old muscles.”

Harvey said he knows the ending could have turned out much differently, and he’s doing everything in his power to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

“I just hope it doesn’t ever happen to nobody, and they watch their surroundings in the morning if they have to get up and go to work early because you never know what’s out there,” said Harvey.

Sherman police said they are still looking for the suspect, and they said if you think you know something to report it at 903-892-7246.

Harvey told police the suspect was wearing a face covering and all-black clothing.

Police said no evidence was recovered that indicated anyone was struck by the gunshot.

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